Learn About Cannabis

Science-based information for the general public.

Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome

Learn About Cannabis 5 Health Risks 5 Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome

Cannabis can help control nausea for some people. This is one of the reasons why health care providers can authorize the use of medicinal cannabis in Washington State. In fact, there are two FDA approved medications that contain lab-produced THC. Providers can prescribe these medications to adult cancer patients to control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, or to help to boost appetite among people suffering from AIDS.

Many people, including many doctors and nurses, don’t know that cannabis has the opposite effect for some people. Some longtime cannabis users may start to experience nausea that doesn’t respond to medication, intense vomiting episodes, and abdominal pain. This group of symptoms is known medically as Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). The only thing that seems to help these symptoms is taking very long hot baths or showers (known as “compulsive bathing”).

While this syndrome was previously rare, CHS cases have become more common in the last decade. This is related to the increased regular consumption of cannabis, and the use of cannabis with high THC content. In Washington State, 5.1% of people who consumed cannabis within the past year and 10.3% who consume weekly say they have experienced CHS at some point in their lives.1

CHS is associated with frequent hospitalizations and visits to emergency health services. In Ontario, Canada, monthly rates of emergency room visits because of CHS increased by 13 times from January 2014 to June 2021.2 At least three deaths from CHS have been reported in medical journals. All three were among young adults who were unable to quit using cannabis, despite having CHS.3

Watch this three minute ABC News coverage about someone who experienced a medical emergency due to CHS.

Standard medications that reduce vomiting don’t usually work well for people with CHS.4 The reasons why some heavy cannabis users develop CHS and others do not are still not clearly understood. A study published in 20215 indicates that heavy cannabis use interacts with some people’s DNA, triggering this syndrome. If this is confirmed by further research, it may help advance diagnosis and treatment in this area. Sometimes healthcare providers try using low-dose haloperidol (an antipsychotic medication) or putting capsaicin (found in chili peppers) on the skin.6 Both seem to help some people but are untested 

The good news is that stopping cannabis use reverses the syndrome almost immediately. The not so good news is that quitting may be very challenging for people who have been using cannabis regularly for years. Long term users are more likely to have developed Cannabis Use Disorder. And when people start using cannabis again, CHS is likely to return.7

If you or someone you know needs help with their cannabis use, visit our Get Help page for a list of tools and resources.

References

  1. Hammond, D., Corsetti, D., Fataar F, Iraniparast, M., Danh Hong, D., Burkhalter, R. International Cannabis Policy Study – Washington 2022 Summary. May 2023.
  2. Myran, D. T., Roberts, R., Pugliese, M., Taljaard, M., Tanuseputro, P., & Pacula, R. L. (2022). Changes in Emergency Department Visits for Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome Following Recreational Cannabis Legalization and Subsequent Commercialization in Ontario, Canada. JAMA network open, 5(9), e2231937. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.31937
  3. Nourbakhsh, M., Miller, A., Gofton, J., Jones, G., & Adeagbo, B. (2019). Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Reports of Fatal Cases. Journal of forensic sciences, 64(1), 270–274. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.1381
  4. Senderovich H, Patel P, Jimenez Lopez B, Waicus S. A Systematic Review on Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome and Its Management Options. Med Princ Pract. 2021;31(1):29-38. doi:10.1159/000520417
  5. Russo, E. B., Spooner, C., May, L., Leslie, R., & Whiteley, V. L. (2022). Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Survey and Genomic Investigation. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 7(3), 336–344. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0046.
  6. Reid S, Wightman, RS. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Research Brief. Systematically Testing the Evidence on Marijuana (STEM). 2023; https://www.cannabisevidence.org/clinician-resources/clinician-briefs/cannabinoid-hyperemesis-syndrome/
  7. Wightman, R. S., Metrik, J., Lin, T. R., Collins, A. B., & Beaudoin, F. L. (2023). Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: clinical trajectories and patterns of use three months following a visit to the emergency department. Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, 10.1111/acem.14773. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14773

Last updated August 2025.